Dear Neighbors,
This week at the Capitol we heard the final State of the State address from Governor Dayton, and we also saw the beginning of some of the same legislative debates that we thought had been put behind us last year, along with some more movement on the gun violence prevention debate.
The State of the State
On Wednesday night, Governor Dayton gave his final State of the State address. Read the Governor’s full remarks here. The speech was a reminder that when we invest in Minnesotans and build on what we value as a state, we are unstoppable. In the past eight years Minnesota has gone from deficits and borrowing money from our schools to surpluses and record investments that have made Minnesota the best state in the country.
Every Minnesotan deserves an opportunity to succeed, and we can only make that a reality by continuing to invest in the things that make life better for all of us. I was especially encouraged by the Governor’s call to be more accepting of newcomers who are enriching our lives and strengthening the economy of our state.
“I say again that the credit belongs to the people of Minnesota. We ARE our people, but we're only as good as all of us are.
That means ALL of us, in a state with rapidly changing demographics, in which 19 percent of our residents are now women, men, and children of color.
That is a very different complexion from years ago, and some folks still resist that change.
If we can educate them to move beyond racism, religious bigotry, and other hatreds, they will see that this new diversity is crucial to our state's future success. There are simply not enough native Minnesotans to drive our future economic growth. There are already too few unemployed workers to fill our state's current job vacancies. And that labor shortage is expected to become even more acute.
The additional workers we need to expand our economy must come from newcomers to our state.
Adjusting to this new reality is hard for some Minnesotans. Trying to push Minnesota back fifty years is neither a realistic option nor a good idea.
I want to be VERY clear. Minnesota is an inclusive and welcoming place for all and we all stand together in making that statement for everyone in Minnesota.”
Governor Dayton’s Supplemental Budget
This morning Governor Dayton released his supplemental budget plan for a better Minnesota. His budget focuses on increasing tax fairness for individuals, continuing investments in Minnesota’s youngest learners, expanding access to affordable health care, leaving a fair and balanced state budget, and improving incomes and economic opportunities for all Minnesotans.
Legislative Auditor’s Report on Elections and Voter Registration
This morning the Office of the Legislative Auditor report on Voter Registration was released and reviewed by the Legislative Audit Commission Evaluation Subcommittee. Sen. Susan Kent and Rep. Laurie Halverson introduced the Secure Access for Minnesota Voters Act (HF 3791) this week. This proposal would provide cyber security updates to Minnesota’s voter registration database, establish automatic voter registration, and provide e-poll books for every county that wants them. The Secure Access for Minnesota Voters act will ensure Minnesota continues to have the safest, most secure, and most efficient elections in the country.
Bipartisan Senate Gun Measures
Earlier this week, a group of bipartisan Senators (Kent, Little, Jensen, Anderson, P.) introduced two bills to combat senseless gun violence. The two Republican Senators face strong opposition from the other members of their caucus for supporting these common sense measures. The first bill (SF 3279) would create criminal background checks on all gun purchases and most transfers, and the second (SF 3278) would combat straw purchases by requiring gun owners to report missing or stolen guns. Senate Republican leadership said neither bill would be allowed to move forward.
The Anti-Protest Bill is Back
On Thursday, the House Public Safety Committee heard HF 390 and sent it back to the floor for debate. This means we could debate the bill again at any time. As I said throughout last year, this bill would diminish the first amendment rights that are guaranteed by the US Constitution and deter Minnesotans from their right to peacefully assemble and speak out against injustice. It is a Republican attempt to threaten protesting Minnesotans with jail and financial penalties for speaking out against injustice.
Profits for Private Prisons
Also this week, the House State Government Finance Committee heard HF 3106, a bill that would force the state purchase of the empty private prison facility in Appleton, MN from the for-profit prison company CoreCivic, formerly known as CCA (Correction Corporation of America). The ACLU has continued to highlight the horrific human rights record of this company and their treatment of inmates. You can read more about that here. The state shouldn’t be helping the bottom line of a corporation that profits from human rights violations, and to make matters worse, there is very little oversight written into the bill as to how the money would be spent.
Implementing a Work Requirement for Medical Assistance
On Monday, Minnesota Republicans joined national efforts to limit the number of people receiving medical assistance, known as Medicaid nationally. Introduced by Rep. Kelly Fenton, HF 3722, would mandate 80 hours worked a month for “able-bodied individuals.” In the press conference announcing the bill, Speaker Daudt said the legislation is intended to “control growing costs of public programs.”
Many of the people on MA are pregnant, caring for young children, have a disability, or would otherwise be exempted from working under the bill. This bill would take health care away from Minnesotans who need it most.
Please contact me if you have questions at 651-296-4257 or rep.ilhan.omar@house.mn and sign up for my email updates here.
Sincerely,
Ilhan Omar
State Representative